Fresh off a stint with Davao in the 2018 Palarong Pambansa held in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, many would assume that Marga Altea’s path to University of Santo Tomas would be smooth sailing.
But Altea’s journey — from the grassroots level of girls’ volleyball to becoming a key contributor for the UST Golden Tigresses in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament — has been anything but easy.
The 19-year-old rookie has weathered a series of hurdles.
Nurtured and molded by coach Kungfu Reyes into one of the most promising middle blockers in the competitive UAAP girls’ volleyball field, she now finds herself utilized as both a middle blocker and a wing spiker in UST’s redemption campaign this season.
Even Altea herself did not anticipate being in this position.
“Dati, hindi ko ma-imagine na ganito pala kalaki na league yung UAAP. Siyempre, hindi ko inexpect na aabot ako rito. Hanggang ngayon naman, I’m still a kid na nangangarap. Nandito na ako pero hindi pa ako hihinto at susuko,” Altea told Tiebreaker Times after tallying 10 points — seven attacks and three blocks — in the Golden Tigresses’ sweep of Ateneo de Manila University last Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“Siyempre, key naman silang lahat pero hindi ko rin ini-invalidate yung efforts ko mismo sa sarili ko kasi marami ako pinagdaanan hanggang umabot ako dito sa point na ito. Tsaka lalo na sa coaches at teammates ko kasi grabe yung support din nila sa akin, lalo na doon sa transition ko from middle [blocker] to open [spiker].”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
At the core of Altea’s growth —from a rarely-used player during the Junior Golden Tigresses’ bronze-medal campaign in Season 82 to a versatile threat as both a spiker and middle blocker — is none other than coach Kungfu Reyes himself.
While Altea recognizes her own hard work and dedication, she credits Reyes’ tough love as a crucial factor in her development.
“Hindi ko masyado ma-explain kasi alam naman natin lahat na tough love rin si Coach Kungfu. Nasanay na rin ako na ganoon yung pamamaraan niya. May ibang player na kapag nasisigawan, nada-down. Pero pag ako, tinatake ko ‘yon as a challenge para mas magsipag pa. Tinatake ko siya as a challenge para maging better din,” shared the Season 85 Girls’ Volleyball 2nd Best Middle Blocker.
“Marami pa ako kailangan pag-aralan, pero alam ko for sure na hindi ako ganito ngayon kung hindi ganoon yung approach sa akin ni Coach Kungfu. Nag-grow talaga ako as a player and as a person na hindi agad naddown or hindi agad sumusuko kapag ganoon yung sitwasyon,” she added.
Reyes first noticed Altea during the Palarong Pambansa not because of her height or her power, but because of her calm demeanor and natural touch as a setter for Davao. However, her physical growth eventually steered her in a different direction.
Due to her height — as the tallest player on the Junior Golden Tigresses’ Season 82 roster — Reyes and his staff transitioned her to the middle blocker position, where she played alongside Pia Abbu and Juliana Carreon.
(C) UAAP Season 86 Media Team
“Flashback tayo five years ago. Supposedly, first basa namin sa kanya, gawin naming setter kasi may touch ng setting kaya kung makikita mo kanina parang natural na natural para sa kanya,” Reyes recalled.
“Ang problema namin, siya na yung pinakamalaki sa team. Hindi namin binigay yung immediate na as a setter na agad, pero nakita namin yung skills para in time, magamit namin. Kaya ‘ayon, nag-switch siya to middle kasi yan yung panahon na I think nagkaabot pa sila ni Pia bago magpandemic.”
When UAAP girls’ volleyball resumed in Season 85 post-pandemic, Reyes saw the need to broaden Altea’s skill set.
With a surplus of middle blockers and undersized wing spikers, he experimented with her in the opposite spiker position.
“Ang dami naming middle blocker noon, pero ang naging problema, mga wing namin maliliit.
“Kaya linagay namin siya noon sa opposite [spiker]. Tinuruan namin ng lahat. Until nakuha niya naman kahit papaano pero hindi pa ganoon kalinis pa. Sabi nga namin, it takes time or years, depende sa bata. Until ngayon, naging optimistic kami na kailangan namin ng malaki na wing spiker pantapat natin kila Shevana [Laput] at Angel [Canino],” Reyes shared.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
For Reyes, Altea’s development over the past six years is a testament not only to her resilience, but also to the strength of UST’s volleyball program — the same system that produced Alas Pilipinas Women stars Eya Laure and Sisi Rondina.
“We can teach. Alam namin kung paano i-maximize yung mga tao kasi kami magkakasama ng mga ‘yan. Ang hiling ko lang din talaga sa kanila, dapat tiyagain kasi nasa stage pa yan na marami silang gusto kaya medyo nalilito pa, pero kaya kami nandito to guide them,” he said.
” Kung ano yung sabihin namin, ‘yon muna gawin niyo kasi ‘yon yung makakabuti as of the moment. Pag hindi, tsaka tayo maglipat ulit. Kaya ‘yon ang maganda kay Marga, well guided yung bata.”
#WATCH: UST head coach Kungfu Reyes celebrates the growth and maturity of Marga Altea, Cassie Carballo, and the rest of the Golden Tigresses 🏐
📹 @ernesttuazon/ Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/ur8BW6sgw2
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) April 5, 2025
